BTS Blog Week: Jimin [Lie]

안녕하세요! This is Hermione with your daily BTS broadcast. Welcome to the sixth installment of our BTS Blog Week 2018, where we’ve been talking about the Wings solos and the HYYH storyline. I’m putting the post together today, as Clara’s suffering from technology issues. (Lol, the free wifi at uni has its perks. #hahaclara #takethatFRIEND).

Today we are of course looking at Jimin’s song “Lie.” (Best wishes on your birthday, Chimchim!!!) Now twenty-four years old, Jimin is one of the main vocalists/lead dancers of BTS. It’s obviously necessary to link to this adorable video that BTS posted on their Twitter of all the boys singing Happy Birthday to Jimin. Do yourself a favor and watch it. ^_^ Because if you’ve watched any Bantang Bombs ever, you’ll know that Jimin is a wonderfully kind human, and he deserves all the love from his hyungs.

Also, in other related news, BTS made the cover of Time magazine. Are they taking over the world or what?

“LIE”:

Tell meWith your sweet smileTell meTell me like you’re whispering into my earsDon’t be like a preyBe Smooth like a like a snakeI want to escape but

Caught in a lieFind the me that was innocentI can’t free myself from this lieGive me back my laughter

Caught in a lieTake me out of his hellI can’t free myself from this painSave the me who’s being punished

I’m still the same me
The me from before is still here butThe lie that’s gotten too bigIs trying to swallow me up

Caught in a lieFind the me that was innocentI can’t free myself from this lieGive me back my laughter

Caught in a lieTake me out of his hellI can’t free myself from this painSave the me who’s being punished

CLARA:Jimin‘s “Lie” has to be my favorite Wings song. Everything from the lyrics to the choreography to the music style itself is just so unabashedly Jimin. Jimin’s personal touch makes the song wonderfully authentic and original. Namjoon left the song completely alone; he said he was so impressed with how good it was, and he couldn’t believe Jimin had written it. You will notice some of the English grammar in the song isn’t used correctly, but Namjoon saw this as part of Jimin’s artistic interpretation and something that fit the style of the song, so he didn’t change anything.

The choreography for “Lie” is a big part of the story. Jimin uses his backup dancers as characters in his story as they try to find ways to trap him. The dance is almost snake-like in its movements with Jimin at the center seeming to fight to break free from some invisible force.

We all know Jimin has struggled with his weight and this song is an expression of his feelings of fear and self-doubt. The song itself is beautifully simple, backing its story with striking imagery: someone caught in a self-created web of lies and fear. Jimin is so talented and I’m so grateful that RM chose not to help produce the song; “Lie” remains my favorite because of its originality. There is so much deep emotion hidden in this piece of music; just listening to it, I can almost feel Jimin’s despair and anguish. I also love just the concept itself for the song. The usage of string instruments and the rise and fall of the melody and the track itself is beautifully composed; from a musical standpoint and the lyrics match extremely well with the flow of the song. Again I’m just so impressed with Jimin and his ability to write such an amazing song!!!

Happy birthday, Jimin!!

HERMIONE:
I once made the grand time investment of watching this thirty minute youtube video that went through all of Jimin’s struggles with his self-image and his weight. Oh my goodness, it was heartbreaking. As Clara explained, lyrically the song is quite simple; it describes a narrator who longs to be free of a “lie” that’s robbed him of his innocence and left him in “hell.” Jimin’s song is almost a perfect prelude to the Love Yourself concept albums that came after Wings. His “lie” is probably his own damaging view of himself and his conviction that he will never be good enough, two subjects that BTS ended up exploring extensively in later songs. I talked a little about the kpop industry in Jungkook’s post, but it’s easy to imagine that a system which already puts such an intense focus on the appearance of its stars would be especially damaging for someone already predisposed to anxiety and self-doubt. From this perspective, the BTS message of “self-love” works well. The Jimin singing “Lie” could certainly use some, and I think some of his later songs show a positive mental progression in his view of himself.

Looking back at all the Wings solos (and with V’s to be posted tomorrow), it’s understandable why BTS places such personal importance on themes of self-love and acceptance. Anyone who’s struggled with anxiety, depression, or really any form of self-doubt (so, essentially all of humanity) will understand the ideas expressed in the BTS Love Yourself albums. To be able to work through your personal darkness you first have to acknowledge its existence, and this in and of itself is a challenge for some people.

My problem with the idea of self-love is its ambiguity, especially given the way it’s typically interpreted in our society today. Too often is “self-love” used as a justification for immorality. To effectively “love yourself”, you have to not only recognize your darkness but make also legitimate effort to work through it. Self-love does not mean congratulating yourself on being lazy, dangerously overweight, obnoxious, or self-destructive: it is trying to better yourself because you love yourself, and not accepting your lower points as the “best you can be.” BTS’s interpretation of “self-love” seems to be more about finding your own voice and standing for what you believe in, artistic cliches that resonate universally. But modern society views “self-love” as part of a vast social system aggressively focused on tolerance and diversity, a system that essentially forces other people to accept versions of “self-love” that are morally wrong. Moreover, an excessive focus on the self can effectively take God out of the equation, and suggest that humanity is inherently self-sufficient, devoid of the need for a higher power.

I’m not suggesting that BTS themselves are backing all of these ideals. Who can say where their exact political and religious affiliations lie? Moreover, to some extent, it doesn’t matter what they believe because the takeaway message ultimately depends on the listener. If you want to interpret “self-love” as an artistic message in support of overcoming anxiety and depression and ignore the weird cultural schisms, more power to you. That’s how I interpret the songs. If I only listened to music by artists who shared my political/and religious views…I’d only be listening to classical music, if that. It is possible to mentally separate music from culture, though it takes some internal fortitude against conformity. Really, the music itself isn’t the point. I think BTS had the best intentions in promoting “self-love”, but it’s important to recognize why their message is so widely accepted by the media and society.

There is a great deal more I could say on this, but this has already turned into a long rant, so my apologies! Anyway, if you disagree with me, let’s work it out in the comments.